The Gentleman’s Guide to the 4th of July

Afternoon gents, it’s Max from the Young Gentleman’s Guide here! So, today’s article will really only apply if those of you reading live in the United States, (and I’ve been seeing a lot more readers from outside the U.S. lately) but today I wanted to give you not necessarily a guide like the title may suggest, but just ways that I’ve celebrated America’s Independence day in years past in the hopes that I can give you readers some inspiration in case you need to find something to do (except I won’t be including things like parades or fireworks shows, since those are both essentially a given). So without any further delay, let’s get started!

1. A barbecue

It’s no secret that one of the cornerstones of American culture is the typical barbecue, whether it be at a park, a picnic area, or even your backyard. So it’s also no surprise that one of the best ways to celebrate the 4th is such a barbecue. Get together with some friends and family, grill some burgers and hot dogs, have some corn on the cob, and maybe have a beer or a patriotic cocktail (thanks to liquor.com for that inspiration)! This is just the perfect carefree way to celebrate the America’s independence, not to mention the most delicious!

2. Family get-together

This may or may not go hand-in-hand with the aforementioned barbecue, but it’s still a great way to celebrate the holiday. This is a tradition we hold dear in my family. We always get together at my grandparents’ vacation house in the small town of Independence, California to celebrate with everyone (except we can’t do it this year since so many people are so busy). But in any case, getting to spend Independence with friends and family is sure to make the celebration that much more jovial and exciting!

3. Listening to American music

Obviously one of the biggest cornerstones of the culture of any nation is its music, and the United States is no different. In my opinion, the best way to show appreciation for our country and its independence is listening to classic American music. And I’m not talking about typical American pop like Miley Cyrus’ Party in the USA, I mean songs and artists that truly represent America and its freedom. Things like Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run, the Glenn Miller Orchestra’s In the Mood, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. For those of you who are interested, I actually have a 4th of July playlist on Spotify that would be great for your 4th of July celebrations!

4. Honoring your American Heroes

Glenn Miller, one of my personal American heroes

This one might sound a little strange, but bear with me. Last year on 4th of July, I decided to put up a post on my personal Instagram showcasing a collection of people who are my personal American heroes. I believe that doing something like this shows a much better appreciation for America, its freedom, and its people. If any of you reading this decide to do something like this, please be sure to let me know, I would be very happy to see a post like that spread!

So there we have it! Those are just some of the ways I’ve celebrated Independence Day in the past, and I’m hoping this at least gave you an inspiration for something you might want to do to add to the celebration of America’s independence. I hope you all have a very happy and safe Independence Day, stay safe, drink responsibly, and be very careful with fireworks! I hope you enjoyed reading today’s article. Please be sure to share the post, follow the blog, follow The Young Gentleman’s Guide on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and support us on Patreon. And on that note, this is Max from The Young Gentleman’s Guide, and God bless America!